Red (The True Reign Series)

by Davis, Jennifer Anne

  Rema rolled her eyes.

  “And some ladies in waiting.”

  Was Mako joking?

  “Your safety is my number one concern.”

  Huh. And he didn’t even know about the assassin.

  ****

  Mako escorted Rema directly to his office amidst a great amount of chaos. It seemed like everyone wanted to talk to Rema—either with questions or words of support. Many wanted to officially declare their allegiance to her and the crown she had yet to lay claim to.

  Mako just rushed her past everyone, telling them she’d be available later. If she was going to be queen—if—then she’d need to start taking charge and not allow Mako to have control of everything. For now, it was fine. But she would be no one’s puppet.

  Inside the office, Rema sat on one of the chairs. She had no idea where to start. She wanted to know exactly what was going on in Jarko, why Mako revealed her identity, and why he’d said they’d storm the castle in one month’s time.

  Rema felt like she was being forced into the matter—she really needed time to think. And she wanted to consult Darmik.

  “I know I said I wouldn’t force you into anything,” Mako said, “but our timetable has just been moved up. Time is of the essence.”

  “What exactly do you mean?”

  Mako took a seat on the chair near her, and pulled it closer so their knees almost touched. “Your Highness, word has just reached me that a ship from Emperion is here.”

  “You know about the assassin?”

  Color drained from Mako’s face. “What?”

  The door flew open, and Savenek stormed in. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” he yelled, directing his fury at Mako.

  Mako jumped up and closed the door. “Savenek, calm down.”

  “You lied to me! You led me to believe the heir was a prince, not a princess!” Savenek’s face was red, and he waved his hands around while he talked.

  “I said to calm down. Now,” Mako ordered. “Have a seat, so we can discuss this rationally, in a reasonable manner.”

  Savenek glanced at Rema, and then pulled the chair a good three feet away from her before plopping down on it. Mako leaned against his desk, facing them.

  Savenek rubbed his hands over his face. “Are you absolutely certain it’s her?”

  “Yes,” Mako answered. “Not only did I carry her out and save her myself, watching from a distance as she grew up, but she bears the royal tattoo.”

  “The royal tattoo?” Savenek sounded skeptical.

  “Yes,” Rema answered, her hand automatically going to the mark on her shoulder. “I bear the mark.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” His eyes pierced into hers. Savenek looked so lost, desperate. It made her want to comfort him. She folded her hands on her lap.

  “I just found out myself. Last night.”

  “So you didn’t deceive me?”

  “No.”

  “But you knew when I spoke with you earlier this morning? When I asked you to be my wife?”

  Rema nodded.

  “Savenek,” Mako said, “I specifically told you not to get close to or develop feelings toward her. This is why.” He sighed.

  “Of all the girls to fall in love with,” Savenek mused, “I choose the one I can’t have.”

  Rema had heard enough. “Regardless of my position, I wouldn’t marry you.”

  “Why?” Savenek demanded, sitting on the edge of his chair.

  “Has it ever occurred to you that my heart might already belong to another?”

  It looked like he’d been slapped. “Is it Audek? I’ll kill him.”

  “No, and Mako’s right, calm down. This is getting us nowhere.”

  Mako looked lost in thought.

  “Now, Mako, you were about to tell me about the Emperion ship and why our timetable has been moved up.”

  Mako’s eyes bore into hers. She thought she saw understanding in them. Did he suspect she loved Darmik? Mako pushed away from the desk and walked over to the window, looking outside.

  “This is absurd!” Savenek jumped up from his chair. “I haven’t spent my entire life training—working day and night—to put some girl on the throne. She doesn’t have a clue how to run the kingdom.”

  “Watch what you say,” Mako said. “She is your sovereign.”

  “No, she’s not! I haven’t pledged anything to her.”

  This was insane. Rema hadn’t even officially agreed to take her place and become queen. It felt like her choices were being taken away from her. Run—she needed to run. As Mako and Savenek stood there arguing, Rema got up and walked out of the room. There were two posted soldiers outside the doorway.

  “Are we supposed to guard you, Rema—I mean, Your Highness?”

  “No,” Rema said. “I need some time alone.”

  She took off down the hallway, desperate to be out of this fortress, free from the confines of the walls and expectations.

  She ran.

  Darmik

  It had recently rained. The horse hooves pounded on the ground, tossing up mud as they thundered across the land. After hiking down the mountain for a week, it felt good to be riding on horseback across open land.

  “Why do you think Captain and Lennek returned to the king’s castle?” Neco shouted, riding neck to neck with Darmik.

  Darmik was considering that very question ever since he borrowed horses from his soldiers in the small village town of Bovern, near the base of the Middle Mountains. His men had informed him that most of the army still roamed the island searching for Rema, but Captain and Prince Lennek were spotted heading toward King’s City a couple of days ago.

  “I fear they are searching the military compound for clues,” Darmik said. “More specifically, my office.”

  “You don’t have anything that would lead them to Rema, do you?”

  “Not exactly,” Darmik answered. “But I have a map with rebel sightings. There were several near the base of the Middle Mountains. It’s only a matter of time before Captain discovers their location.”

  “Or attacks another town,” Neco added. “Why does Captain suspect you know Rema’s location?”

  “Call it intuition.”

  The city’s wall came into sight. Darmik steered his horse toward the secret tunnel leading to the military compound. After stabling the borrowed horses, Neco and Darmik went to the barracks. No one was there.

  “Lennek was only assigned one half of the Tenth, correct?”

  “Yes,” Darmik mused. “The Eighth Company should still be here. They are the only protection King’s City has against an attack.” They quietly walked down the corridor leading to Darmik’s office.

  “I want you to take a look around,” Darmik told Neco. “Find out what’s going on. Talk to castle servants and people in the city.”

  “I’m on it,” Neco said. “I’ll find you when I have something.”

  Darmik went inside his office. He looked on his desk to see if anything was out of place or moved. Everything looked as it should. Sitting on his chair, Darmik went through his drawers, again looking for anything amiss. Nothing appeared out of place. He leaned back and stretched out his legs. Where were Captain and Lennek? What were they planning? Darmik crossed his ankles, his toe hitting something. He crouched down and peered under his desk. A small piece of paper had fallen underneath. He pulled it out. It was a rough sketch of the island with all the major cities marked. Several towns were crossed off. The entire region of Jarko had an X through it. An area near the base of the Middle Mountains was circled with several marks around it.

  Was this Captain’s? Had he managed to narrow down the rebel’s location already? If Captain had seen Darmik’s map, then he certainly could have drawn that conclusion easily enough. Darmik had to find Captain and lead him away from the Middle Mountains. He needed to do something to indicate he knew where Rema was—and that she was near a bay town.

  Darmik decided to head on over to the castle to see if he could find Captain o
r Lennek. Nearing the castle’s wall, Darmik saw it was guarded by ten times the amount of usual soldiers.

  At the gate, Darmik asked one of his men who had given the order for the additional soldiers on patrol.

  “By order of the king, Commander.”

  Darmik headed straight to his father’s office. Along the way, there were also twice as many sentries patrolling the hallways. The corridor where King Barjon’s office was located was lined with soldiers.

  Shoving the door open, Darmik saw the king with Captain Phellek and several other high-ranking officers, standing around the desk.

  King Barjon’s head snapped up. “I suppose you didn’t locate the two-bit churl either?” he asked Darmik.

  Lennek and Captain were nowhere in sight. “What’s going on?” Darmik demanded.

  “I’ve received reports that much of Jarko is burnt to the ground,” the king said.

  “Did Lennek tell you?” Darmik asked, standing next to his father.

  “Yes,” King Barjon responded. “Lennek told me Captain went ballistic searching for Rema. He’d been convinced she was in Jarko. When Captain couldn’t locate her, he burned everyone’s homes and land, trying to force someone to talk.”

  Darmik still didn’t understand what his father was doing with Phellek and Darmik’s other men.

  “I’m taking it Captain and Lennek haven’t located Rema either,” Darmik said.

  “No,” King Barjon replied. “And I can’t bloody well have an assassin from Emperion running around my kingdom destroying everything. Jarko is a farming region. Most of our food comes from there. Now what am I going to do?”

  Darmik glanced at the large map spread out on the desk. “You know for certain Captain is an assassin?” Darmik asked.

  “I’m not stupid,” King Barjon said. “I played along with him, hoping he’d kill the girl and leave. If we don’t find her soon, I fear more will come. And then what?”

  “Has anyone else from Emperion arrived?”

  Phellek cleared his throat. “Captain and Lennek showed up here a couple of days ago,” he said. “When Captain returned, he met with a few dozen men—all rumored to have come off the boat Captain arrived on. I believe his men may be infiltrating the army.”

  “Yes,” King Barjon said. “I ordered your men—my army—to the castle for added protection.”

  This was a side of his father Darmik rarely saw. “Where is Captain now?”

  King Barjon shook his head. “I have men following him, but he keeps slipping their notice.”

  “He’s been spotted around King’s City speaking with people,” Phellek said.

  “I believe he’s preparing to leave again,” a lieutenant said. “Food and other provisions have gone missing. I’ve been keeping track.”

  “What are your orders, Father?” Darmik asked.

  “Find Rema, and bring her to me before she destroys my kingdom.”

  “Is the bet still on?” Darmik asked.

  “Yes,” King Barjon answered, “it is. But the stakes are higher now.”

  ****

  What an interesting turn of events, Darmik thought as he walked down the corridor. His father feared Emperion would come in and take over the island—when Rema and the rebels planned to do just that. Unfortunately, the added soldiers would make it much more difficult for Rema and the rebels to infiltrate the castle. Unless Darmik could convince this company of soldiers to side with the rebels.

  Darmik made his way to the entrance of Lennek’s rooms. He knocked on the door, and Arnek answered.

  “I’m here to see my brother,” Darmik said, shoving past Arnek.

  “Then you’ll be disappointed to discover him occupied, Your Highness,” Arnek said.

  “Where is he?” Darmik demanded. He glanced around the sitting room, his brother nowhere in sight. The door to his bedchamber was closed, two soldiers standing on either side. “Is my brother sleeping?” Darmik asked. The midday meal already passed. Lennek might be lazy and enjoy sleeping in, but this was excessive even for him.

  “As I previously told you,” Arnek said, coming to stand before Darmik, “Prince Lennek is otherwise engaged.” The mousy man smiled.

  A thumping noise came from Lennek’s bedchamber, followed by moaning. Realization dawned on Darmik—his brother was with a woman.

  “Who?” Darmik demanded.

  “I hardly see how that’s relevant,” Arnek answered, his nose in the air.

  Darmik grabbed the man by his neck, slamming him against the wall. Arnek’s legs dangled at least a foot above the ground. His face turned an ugly shade of red.

  “Your stupidity astounds me,” Darmik said through clenched teeth.

  Arnek gasped for air. Neither soldier guarding Lennek’s door so much as blinked. A girl’s voice screamed Lennek’s name.

  “Who is in there with my brother?” Darmik demanded. If it were a noblewoman, Darmik wouldn’t interfere.

  Arnek clawed at Darmik’s hands. Darmik slammed him against the wall again.

  “Millet,” Arnek squeaked. “A servant girl.”

  Darmik released his hold, and Arnek crumbled to the ground. Darmik went to the door and threw it open. The soldiers standing guard on either side glanced at one another, unsure of what to do. Darmik gave them each a hard look, and they held their positions.

  Storming into the bedchamber, he found a naked girl on top of Lennek. The girl screamed, pulling the silk sheet up against her body, covering herself.

  “Come to see how it’s done, little brother?” Lennek asked, smiling. He lay there completely naked, making no move to cover himself.

  “Get out,” Darmik said to the girl.

  She looked to Lennek.

  “I’m done,” he said, waving his hand in the air, indicating for her to leave.

  “Should I return later, Your Highness?” she asked.

  Lennek sat up, reaching for his robe. “That won’t be necessary,” he said in a condescending tone. “You weren’t that good. I need someone a little more . . . limber.” He smirked.

  The girl’s eyes widened and glossed over with tears. She got up and ran from the room.

  Lennek stood, pulling his robe closed. “Did you find Rema?”

  “No,” Darmik said.

  “Because you already know where she is, don’t you?”

  Darmik stared at his brother. “What are you getting at?”

  “Captain says you know where she is.”

  “If I knew, then I’d have her here.”

  “Perhaps.” Lennek stepped around Darmik, going to the vanity table and pouring himself a drink. “So you stormed in here to do what exactly? Catch a glimpse of a girl naked? Since you can’t seem to get anyone to take their clothes off voluntarily for you?”

  “I came here to ask you about Jarko,” Darmik said, clutching his hands into fists. He couldn’t hit his brother—at least, not yet.

  “What about it?” Lennek asked, leaning against the table. He took a sip of his drink.

  “How could you allow Captain to murder so many people? Burn all those farms? Those are our people!”

  Lennek shrugged his shoulders. “Captain believed Rema was hiding in Jarko. It made sense. When no one would talk to us, I suggested we burn her out.”

  “That was your idea? Not Captain’s?”

  Lennek took another sip of his drink. “Does it matter?”

  Darmik supposed it didn’t. “I know there is a lot on the line to see who can get Rema first, but you can’t destroy the island looking for her.”

  Lennek chuckled. “Why? Afraid people might revolt against Father? After all, he’s the one who let the Emperion soldier roam the kingdom.” Lennek tsked.

  “You’re trying to ruin Father?” Darmik whispered.

  “I can’t be king until he’s gone, now can I, brother?” Lennek pushed away from the vanity table and came to stand before Darmik. “And right now, the King’s Army, that you command, is destroying this island. It seems you’re making this quite easy f
or me.”

  Darmik reached for his sword.

  “Oh, I wouldn’t do that, little brother. Captain and I have reached an arrangement regarding Rema. You really have more important matters to tend to. I mean, you don’t actually know where Captain is right now, do you? He could have Rema, and you wouldn’t even know it because you’re here with me.”

  Darmik released his sword. He had to find Captain and lead him toward the bay towns, away from the Middle Mountains. Darmik should have time on his hands. Captain wouldn’t easily find the rebel fortress in the mountains. It was well concealed and had taken Darmik and Neco weeks to locate it.

  Lennek raised his eyebrows, waiting for Darmik’s response. Darmik pretended like he was going to leave. When Lennek laughed, his guard down, Darmik swung back and punched him in the jaw.

  Lennek whipped his head around, fury in his eyes. “That was a very dumb move,” he said, holding his hand to his jaw. “I will destroy you.”

  Darmik leaned in. “Not if I destroy you first.”

  “Guards!” Lennek shouted. “Arrest him.”

  The sentries glanced at one another, unsure of what to do.

  “Touch me, and I’ll kill you,” Darmik said. The guards each took a step back, allowing Darmik to pass untouched. He hurried from his brother’s room before Lennek summoned more guards to arrest him.

  Darmik made his way to the kitchen for food. After, he packed some clothes and headed to the military compound. He grabbed all the weapons he could carry, and went to his office. He hoped Neco would be back with information. Darmik didn’t have much time before men came looking for him.

  After lighting a candle, Darmik went through his desk, packing maps and important papers. Glancing around, he realized this would be his last time in his office. He had pledged his loyalty to Rema, and it was time to join the rebels.

  He really didn’t know if Rema and her rebels had the forces and skill necessary to defeat King Barjon and Lennek. Regardless, Darmik intended to help them—no matter what.

  The candle flickered. Darmik pulled out his dagger.

  Neco slipped into the room. “We need to talk,” his friend said.

  “Not here. It’s too dangerous.”